Neal Pilson ’60, GP’16,’17
2025 Bell Ringer Award
Citation for Neal Pilson ’60, GP’16,’17
“Among our distinguished alumni,” wrote one nominator for this award, “there are those who serve the College by their tireless labors. There are others who, while loyally serving the College, also distinguish Hamilton by the reflected light of their singular accomplishments.”
You are clearly in the second category.
You left College Hill in 1960 with a degree in history and a Phi Beta Kappa key. After earning a degree from Yale Law School, you began writing contracts, first at a small New York City law firm, then at Metromedia and the William Morris Agency. You subsequently became director of business affairs for CBS Sports in 1976, and five years later, at age 41, became the youngest president in CBS Sports history.
Your 12-year tenure as a two-term president was marked by a dramatic increase in live sports programming, including groundbreaking contracts with NASCAR for the 1979 Daytona 500, and in 1982 with the NCAA to broadcast the men’s basketball tournament. Ultimately you negotiated agreements with the NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, the Masters, and the Olympics, among others. “We had basically everything,” said sportscaster Jim Nantz. “We even had the dream season of 1990, when we had the World Series, the Final Four, the Super Bowl, and the Masters.” Observed a former colleague, “I look back at Neal’s run as the golden age of CBS Sports.”
After leaving CBS, you moved with your wife, Frieda — to whom you’ve been married for 62 years — to the Berkshires and founded Pilson Communications, a consulting firm. You also taught Leadership and Personnel Management for many years at Columbia University.
Whether you were in Augusta or Lillehammer, at the World Series or the U.S. Open, you always made time for Hamilton. You served as a volunteer with the Levitt Center, the Career Center, and as a faithful member of your Class Reunion Committee. You made special presentations during Reunion Weekends, participated in Alumni Colleges, and spoke regularly with Hamilton students in their classrooms and in other venues. While president of CBS Sports, you were keynote speaker at the Riffle Dinner and entertained Hamilton alumni at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships. Through it all, you freely shared your vast network of relationships in sports media with both students and alumni saying characteristically, “I’m happy to help anyone from Hamilton … here are a few contacts. Feel free to use my name.”
You’ve earned numerous honors throughout your illustrious career, but one award has somehow eluded you. Today we correct that oversight by proudly presenting you with Hamilton’s highest honor, the 2025 Bell Ringer Award.
Laura Engelhardt ’95
President, Alumni Association
Presented June 7, 2025
